The Foresight of a Chochom:
It is related (Sefer Even Shesia, Chelek 1, page 165) that when the Ruzhiner Rebbe zy”a fled from Russia to Bukovina in the year 5604, his son, Rav Dovid Moshe (of Tchortkov), who was engaged to the daughter of Rav Aharon of Chernobyl, remained behind in Russia,
The Ruzhiner greatly desired to take part in the chasuna. However, the government forbade Rav Aharon from leaving Russia. If he couldn’t be there in person, the Ruzhiner at least wanted to be able to see it. Therefore, he suggested that the wedding should be held near the border of the two countries, so that he could stand by the Austrian-Russian border and look into Russia and see the chasuna as it occurred.
The chasidim who were close to the Chernobyl Rebbe opposed this idea, saying that the minhag was to make the chasuna in the home city of the kallah. They also did not want to trouble their Rebbe, who was already advanced in age, to travel so far.
At that time, Rav Dovid of Zavlitov zy”a came to visit the Ruzhiner Rebbe, who told him, “You are a very wise man. Can you find a solution for this problem?”
Rav Dovid agreed. He asked his chasidim to prepare for him a wagon with four sturdy horses, and he traveled to Chernobyl. When he got to the Rebbe’s courtyard, he looked around and made sure that no one was in the yard or surrounding area. He entered the house and saw that the Rebbe was home alone. The Rebbe was sitting in his room, immersed in his avodah, without paying any attention to what was going on around him. Rav Dovid walked over and said to him, “Why is the Rebbe sitting here when the kallah and the wedding party is leaving to the border for the chasuna?”
The Rebbe got up, as Rav Dovid requested, and prepared to leave. Rav Dovid took his arm and led him to the wagon, and told the driver to drive as quickly as he could. The Rebbe remained immersed in his avodah the entire time, until they reached the border. Rav Dovid then sent a message to let the household know that their father was waiting for them at the Russian-Austrian border. Of course, they came right away and the Ruzhiner was, in fact, able to see it.
